Chapter 13: Chapter 13: I will always protect you

Alina’s POV

Is he a stalker? First, he crashes the engagement, wrapping his arms around me and claiming I’m his "mate," and now he’s standing right here again. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"You can’t just materialize in front of me whenever you feel like it," I snapped. I tried to lace my voice with enough venom to back him off, but his smile didn’t even flicker. He just stared, his gaze so heavy and unblinking that my skin began to prickle. "Hey! Are you even listening?" I barked, snapping my fingers in front of his face to break the spell.

He blinked, finally breaking the trance. "Yes. I’m listening."

"Are you following me?" I demanded, crossing my arms.

"I... no. I just came to try the new pastries," he said, the smile returning. He was too calm. Rogues were supposed to be jagged edges and pent-up rage, but his expression was practiced and smooth.

"And you’re just... comfortable? Being around all these people?" I asked.

His grin faltered for a second before settling into a faint, tight line. "Ye—yes," he stuttered.

I rolled my eyes and turned to walk away, but a scent hit me like a physical wall. It was sharp and familiar—the exact smell of the man in the hospital. The rogue who saved me.

I froze, then slowly pivoted back to meet his gaze. I looked at his amber eyes and his shock of blond hair. How could I have been so blind? I stepped toward him, my heart hammering against my ribs. This was the man who kept me alive. He looked confused as I closed the distance, but I didn’t give him a choice. I grabbed his wrist.

"Follow me," I commanded. He stood instantly, trailing behind me as the other customers whispered and stared. I led him into my private office at the back of the shop and clicked the door shut.

"I... I didn’t realize it would be this easy to get you alone," he said, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

I didn’t smile back. I kept my face a mask of stone as I looked at him—really looked at him. This man was the reason my son still had a mother. He was my second chance.

"Is there something on my face?" he asked, his bravado finally slipping into nervousness.

"Thank you," I finally whispered.

His brow furrowed. "Why are you thanking me?"

"You saved my life," I said, my voice steadier now. "I saw you when I thought I was dying. You could have ended it right there, but you didn’t. Thank you."

A faint, genuine smile touched his lips. He stepped into my space, reaching out to take my hand. This time, I didn’t pull away.

"I will always protect you, Alina. I will never hurt you, or let anyone else touch a hair on your head," he promised. His voice had dropped an octave, heavy with a weight that made my chest tighten. "You are my life now."

I flinched, yanking my hand back as if his skin had burned mine. A flash of raw pain flickered in his amber eyes, but I couldn’t let myself soften.

"I’m grateful you saved me," I said, my voice trembling slightly despite my best efforts. "But I need to be clear. I have a son. He is the only thing in this world that matters to me."

He didn’t flinch. There was no shock on his face, only a strange, calm knowing.

"I know about the child. He’s the heir—the next Alpha after Aiden," he said. His tone was flat, devoid of judgment. Then, a slow smirk tugged at his lips. "It doesn’t matter to me, Alina. I want a place in your life, and you won’t be able to push me away for long. If your wolf were awake, she’d be spiraling just as much as mine is right now."

He took a slow step forward. I instinctively backed up until the cold, hard wood of the wall pressed against my spine. My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. He leaned in, his scent wrapping around me, making my head light. He was so close I could feel the heat radiating off him.

I should stop him. I should push him away.

But my limbs felt like lead, and my breath hitched in my throat as his gaze dropped to my lips. Just as the air between us seemed to spark, a sharp, loud knock shattered the silence.

I jumped, the spell breaking instantly. I shoved him back, my face flushing deep crimson.

"I think you should leave. Now," I managed to say, smoothing my hair as I hurried to the door. I threw it open to find Eliana standing there. Her eyes went wide as they landed on the man behind me.

"Ma’am, I... I’m so sorry," she stammered, her gaze darting between us. "I didn’t realize you were... busy."

"He was just leaving," I said firmly, not looking back at him.

He didn’t argue. He brushed past us into the hallway, but paused for a split second. He turned, catching my eye, and gave me a slow, wicked wink before disappearing around the corner.

Eliana watched him go, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Ma’am, wasn’t that a—"

"No, he isn’t," I lied, cutting her off before she could say the word rogue. My pulse was still frantic. "Why are you here? What do you need?"

"I wanted to show you the security footage," she said, handing me a tablet. "The customer who caused the scene earlier—she sabotaged the cake herself."

I watched the screen. There was Emily, caught in grainy high-definition, ruining the frosting when she thought no one was looking. It was classic Emily.

"We should take this to the police," Eliana pressed.

"No," I said, handing the tablet back.

"But ma’am, she tried to ruin our reputation!"

"I’m glad we have the proof, but I’m not dragging this into a legal battle. Let it go," I said, forcing a small smile. Eliana nodded, though the look in her eyes told me she didn’t agree.

Once she left, I sank into my chair and finally let out the breath I’d been holding. His scent—woodsmoke and rain—still lingered in the air. To my frustration, I found myself smiling.

The ride home in the cab was quiet. I still couldn’t bring myself to sit behind a steering wheel; the memories of the crash were still too loud. As soon as I stepped inside the house, I went straight to the nursery.

"Welcome back, madam," the nanny whispered, rising from her chair. "He just drifted off."

I leaned over the cradle. Leo was a tiny, peaceful bundle, his chest rising and falling in a perfect rhythm. Seeing him always made the rest of the world feel quiet.

"Thank you for watching him," I whispered.

Before she could respond, the sharp chime of the doorbell rang through the house. The nanny headed downstairs to see who was calling this late,